LOWELL -- A 45-year-old Lowell man is being held without bail on his fifth drunken-driving charge after police say Edward Cabrera was pulled over for erratic driving last November and registered a Breathalyzer reading three times the legal limit.

In Lowell Superior Court on Tuesday, Cabrera pleaded not guilty to a charge of operating under the influence of alcohol -- fifth offense. Prosecutor Kate Hartigan asked that Cabrera be held without bail pending an April 2 dangerousness hearing.

In court documents, Hartigan alleges that on Nov. 28, Lowell police received a report of an erratic driver.

When officers spotted the vehicle on Branch Street, they had to use a police cruiser to box in Cabrera's vehicle, according to documents.

Officers say they detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from Cabrera and he was unsteady on his feet so police declined to have Cabrera do field-sobriety tests.

Cabrera allegedly blew .29, more than three times the legal limit of .08, on a Breathalyzer.

Cabrera has four previous drunken-driving convictions: 2011, 1998 and two in 1987.

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